Multiflash lamp device



Oct. 1, 1946. 5.13. NOEL EIAL HULTIFLAS'H LAMP DEVI CE 2" Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 1, 1943 Inven tors. Edward B. NoeL,

Au us L' W. Sei'tz,

Their A'ttorneg.

Patented Oct. 1, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MULTIFLASH LAMP DEVICE v Edward B. Noel, Cleveland Heights, and August W. Seitz, Euclid, Ohio, assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York. 6 Application November 1, 1943, Serial No. 508,494

6 Claims.

Our invention relates to illuminating apparatus for photographic purposes and its principal 'object is to provide an apparatus of this kind take a series of pictures in a short time. Further objects and advantages of'the invention will appear from the following detailed'description of species thereof and from the appended claims.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, species of my invention are shown in which Fig.1 is a side elevational, partly sectional view of the apparatus with a portion of the casing broken away to show the arrangement of the internal parts; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, side-elevational, partly sectional view showing the details of the contacts engageable with the lamps shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a similar view of a braking mechanism for one of the wheels shown in Fig. l; and Fig. 4 is a sideelevational view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 showing the mechanism for actuating the various parts.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, themultiflash lamp device comprises a casing 10 having a reflector I l, which is preferably parabolic, partially recessed therein, and a pair of flanged wheels [2 and I2 rotatably mountedon casin l and supporting an endless band l3 to which is secured in equally spaced positions av plurality of flash lamps I l. The lamps l4 comprise a light transmitting bulb containing a combustible material, and a supporter of combustion, such as oxygen. The combustible material, when ignited,

produces a flash of actinic light useful for photographic purposes. The ignition means comprises a tungsten filamentconnected across a pair of current leading-in wires. Such lamps are dis.- closed in the Fulton and Foote application Serial No. 461,578, filed October 10,1942, and assigned to the assignee of'this application. The wheel I2" is mounted for rotation on an axle secured-to an arm l which arm is pivotally mounted at IS on the casing I0 so as to bemovable in a circular are about the pivot -l 6. A' spring 5 I1 is secured to the casing l0 and the arm [5 and tends to move wheel l2 away from'wheel I2 so as to keep the band l3 under tension when i the latter is engaged with the wheels l2 and 12'.

The .band l3 carryingthe lamps I4 is inserted in the apparatus by. removing the panel or cover l8 (shown partially broken away in the drawings) of the casing l0, forcing the wheel l2 toward the wheel l2 against the tension exerted by the spring ll a suflicient distance to permit placing the band l3 over both of said flanged wheels l2 and 12. The wheel l2 may then bereleased to travel away from wheel l2 until its. motion is arrested by the band l3; After the lamps l4 have been flashed in sequence, in the manner described in detail hereinafter, the band I3 is removed from thewheels l2 and 12 in the same manner and a new band is inserted.

The wheel l2, which is shown partially broken away in thedrawings, has two spaced flanges. l9 and 20 which are spaced apart a sufficient distance to accommodate a pair of spaced contacts 2| set into a body 22 of electrically insulating material which, as shown in Fig. 2, engages with and has a portion or leg extending from the center. portion of the hub 23 of the wheel l2 and outward toward the periphery of the flanges l9 and 20 a distance such that the contacts 2|, which have semi-circular edges, engage a, pairof spaced contacts 24 (see Fig. 1) which are centrally disposed and spaced apart on the band l3 and project a slight distance beyond the surface of band l3 'engaging the flanges l9 and 201 of wheel l2. As best shown in Fig. ,2, the wheel 12 is 'mounted'on an axle 25;on which it is free to rotate. The axle 25 is supported at each of its ends by a bracket 28 which is bolted to the casing Ill at two places along the part 21 thereof contiguous with said casing 110.. The-lower part 28 of bracket 26 has secured thereto by bolts 29 the contact-free portion of support 22 so that the latter does not rotate about the hub'23 to which it is engaged by the separable part 30 thereof held in place by bolts 3|.JThe part of bracket 26 parallel to part 21 supports the end portion of axle 25 more remote from casing to. t

Thelamp contacts 24, shown nected. to, .the current leading-in wires 'of the lamps 14 and consist'of wirespassing through and secured to the base '35" of the lamps M which I base is permanently secured to the light transmitting lamp bulbs 36. The wires pierce the band I3, which consists of flexible, electrically'insulatingmaterial, such as heavy paper or an organic plastic, and are bent over so as to clamp the band I3 to the lamp bases 35. Thus, the lanips I4 31 to. one terminalof a source of electrical energy constituted by a battery of-cells in the battery case'38' supported between the wheels l2 and I2 .bythe support 39 bolted to the casing Ill. The

in Fig. l arje con- 3 other contact 2! is connected to the other terminal of the source by the wire 40 shown in two parts in the drawings. It will be understood that the part of the wire 53 not shown in the drawings passes out of the casing I for connection to the terminals of a switch the operation of which is controlled by an apparatus for synchronizing the opening of the shutter of the camera with the flashing of the lamp it in the reflector II. Such synchronizing apparatus is well known, constitutes no part of this invention and, hence, has

vertex which opening is large enough forthe bulbs 3% of the lamps i4 to pass therethr-oug'h into and out of the reflectorwhen-the latter is" moved from the position shown in full lines in; l q

the drawings to that shown in dot-dash lines, and back again. When the reflector is in the position shown in full lines, the focal point thereof is within the bulb of the lamp It so that the light emitted when the lamp is ignited .in the manner described above is directed by. the reflector. .II toward the objectto be photographed.

Thereflector H is moved from ,the position shown. in full lines to that shownin dot-dash lines in Fig. 1 to insert theband I3 between wheels 12 and i2 and to permit the movement of, the band 133 with its attached lamps M after one lamp has been flashed and the next lamp in the series. is to be moved into position to be flashed. Thus, the reflector is moved, by the mechanism described hereinafter, out of the path of movement of the lamps I4 beforethelatter are moved, by the mechanism also described hereinafter, to bring the next lamp I4 of the series to be flashed into the position where itscontacts 24 engage with the contacts 2| and the reflector I! may be returned to the position shown in .full lines in Fig. 1 without hitting the lamps It on its return movement.

. A brake for holding the lamps I4 stationary while the reflector II is being moved .andbetween periods of movement of the lamps is shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. .The brake comprises a .resilient brake-shoe 32 which is held against the inner surface of the flange I9 of the wheel !2 .by holder 33. The holder 33 is disposed between flange I9 and bracket 26, engages with the axle and is secured against rotationto the bracket 25 by the pin 35,

The mechanism for moving the reflector H with respect to the lamp support comprised of the wheels I2 and I2 and outof the path of movement of the lamps I4- about the wheels I2 and I2 is illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The mechanism for .moving the lamps through the position normally occupied by the reflector II is also shown in this figure. Referring to Fig. 4, the reflector II is movably supported by the slotted member ii to which it is rigidly secured by welding, for example. .The slotted member AI is supported by the wheel 42 mounted on axle 43 fastened to the casing H! and a bushing (not shown) secured to the portion of axle 25 adjacent the, bracket leg 21. The member 2i and therewith reflector H is thus movable on its supportsin the direction of the longitudinal axis of the reflector. An'arm 44 engages member I through the slot 45 therein engaging wheel 65' secured to member 4!. The arm 44 is pivoted on the casing M. at 4'! and is urged to swing in the direction of the reflector II by spring 48, one end of which is fastened to casing It and the otherend of which presses. against arm 44. The arm 44 is disposed between the casing It and the battery support 38 and moves freely between these members.

The movement of the arm 44 and therewith the reflector I I is controlled by the disc 49 having the projection to which supports wheel 5i. As the disc is rotated in the manner described below, the Wheel El travels along the arm M to permit or force the latter to move. The disc at is journaled to the axle 25 which is slightly flattened, as shown at 52, where it engages disc :29. Thus, by rotating axle 25, the projection 53 may be rotated and thusthe reflector II moved into the two positions shown in Fig. l. The axle 25 is prolonged so as to terminate outside of the casing it! and provided with a crank at its externally protruding portion for rotating it. The disc 49 thus may be rotated from the positionshown, in which it is held by the force exerted by spring 48 holding the pin 53 on the disc 49 against the stop 54 secured to bracket part 28 between wheel flange 20 and bracket part 27, to a position in whichpin 55 on disc 49 rests against the stop 56 and back again by turning the crank on axle 25 in the proper direction.

After the reflector has been moved out of the path of movement of the lamps, by the mechanism described above, the lamps are moved on the wheels I2 and i2 to bring an unflashed lamp into position to be flashed. This is accomplished asfollows: the mechanism for movingthe lamps is synchronized with the above-described mechanism for moving the reflector I i and comprises an arm 55 rotatable on the axle 25', carrying a lamp engaging pawl 51 at its outer end portion and two fingers 58 and 5Q engageable with the stop 54 to limit the rotational movement of the arm 56. Arm 56 is disposed betweenfflange 29 and disc 49. The pawl 51 is pivoted on the arm 56 in a direction parallel to the length of arm 56 and is provided with a conventional spring and stop tending to hold the pawl '57 normal to the arm 55. Thus, in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4 the pawl '5! engages'with the base of a lamp id to urge the latter, when arm 58 is moved in the direction of the arrow, into positionto be flashed. On the return movement of arm 55 the pawl 5'! will flrststrike the next lamp has will then turn on its pivot to pass by said lamp base and will then snap back to its original lamp engaging position normal to armbfiwhen the lamp has'been passed. v I

The rotational movements of arm 58 is con trolled by the pin 66 thereon projecting the direction of the disc 49 and engagin with the arcuate slot (H in the disc 59. As is readily apparent from Fig. 4, the disc '45 may be rotated an appreciable angular distance in the direction ofthe arrow before the pin iii! engages with and E2 of slot 6| to move the arm Stand therewith the lamp engaging paw-1 51. Thesefparts are so related that as the disc 49 is turned by the crank in the direction of the arrow, the reflector ii is first moved from the position in which it encloses a lamp It to the position .,(shown in dotdash lines in Fig. l) where it is out of the path of-travel of the lamps I4. With thereflector Ii in this position, the pin 89' on the pawl supporting arm'ES engages the end 62 of slot Bi and as the turning movement of disc i'fi continues, the pawl 5! is moved to bring the next lamp it in the series in line with the axis of the reflector H and into engagement with the contacts 2|. In this position the pin 55 on the disc 49 and the flnger 59 of arm 56 rests against the 'stop 54. Incidentally, these elements are preferably in this positionwhen the band I3 carrying the lamps I4 is inserted in the device. In this oper-' ation ii'one lamp l4 'is placed in the position where its contacts 24. engage contacts 2| and its longitudinal axis is in the reflector axis, the band 13 and the equally spaced lamps l4 thereon will be properly indexedin the device.

After-the lamp to be flashed has been moved into the proper position for flashing, the disc 49 is turned by the crank in the opposite direction to that indicated by the arrow. The reflector II is thus moved back to its lamp enclosing position and the pawl 51 to its position engaging the next lamp in the series to be flashed. The device is then ready to emit a flash of light when the switch on the synchronizing apparatus is closed.

A light transmitting member 64, illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, may be secured by bolts 65, for example, to the front of reflector H so as to influence the emitted light. The member may be a filter for screening-out or absorbing part of the radiant energy emitted by a flashed lamp.

Mounting the lamps l4 on a flexible band or endless strip I3 is advantageous not only for use in the above apparatus in which a plurality of lamps can be inserted and removed simultaneously to eliminate delay in taking a series of photographs, but is also useful in the manufacturing and packaging of the lamps. Thus, a group of bases 35 for the lamps l4 may be secured by the current leading-in wires 24 in series relation to the strip l3 before the bulbs 36 are mounted on the bases 35. The bulbs 36 are then mounted on the bases 35 and the other steps in the manufacture of the lamps performed. After the lamps I4 have been completed, the multiflash unit comprising a plurality of lamps secured to the strip 13 may be packaged for shipment without handling individual lamps;

The lamps disclosed in the application Serial No. 461,578 referred to above comprise a compact body supported in the lamp bulb, which body constitutes the sole source of light. Flash lamps comprising loosely arranged combustible material, which occupies substantially the entire space within the lamp bulb may also be used when provided with suitable bases having wires which may be passed through the strip l3. Lamps comprising such material are commercially available and a species thereof is disclosed in U. S. Patent 2,306,563, issued December 29, 1942, to Marvin Pipkin.

The multiflash cation Serial No. 508,495, flled November 1, 1943, by Edward B. Noel, one of the inventors named herein.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A multiple flash lamp device comprising lamp support means arranged to support a lamp carrier comprising a strip carrying a plurality of flash lamps, a concave reflector movably supported adjacent said lamp support means and of suflicient depth to normally close one of said lamps, actuating means engageable with the lamp carrier and reflector so as to synchronize advancement of said lamp carrying strip on said lamp support means to move successive lamps first into andthen, after being flashed, out of said reflector together with displacement of the reflector out of the path of movement of the lamps during each advancement surround and en-' lamp unit is claimed in applithereof, and-means supporting said lamp support means, said reflector and said actuating means injuxtaposition. f I 1 w 2; A- multiple flash lamp device comprising lamp support means arranged to support alamp carrier comprising a strip carrying a plurality of flash lamps, aconcave reflector movably supported adjacentsaidlamp support means and of suflicient depth to normally surroundand' enclose one of said lamps,-actuating means engageable with the; reflector and a lampion said strip so as to synchronize advancement of said lamp carrying strip on said lamp support means to move successive lamps first into and then, after bein flashed, out of said reflector together with displacement of the reflector out of the path of movement of the lamps during each advancement thereof, and means supporting said lam support means, said reflector and said actuating means in juxtaposition. i

3. A multiple flash lamp device comprising lamp support means having spaced wheels to support a lamp carrier comprising a strip carrying a plurality of flash lamps, a concave reflector movably supported adjacent said lamp support means and of sumcient depth to normally surround and enclose one of said lamps, actuating means engageable with the lamp carrier and the reflector to synchronize advancement of said lamp carrying strip on said lamp support means to move successive lamps first into being flashed, out of said reflector together with displacement of the reflector out of the path of movement of the lamps during each advancement thereof, and means supporting said lamp support means, said reflector and said actuating means in juxtaposition.

4. A multiple flash lamp device comprising lamp support means having wheels arranged for relative displacements and for supporting a lamp carrier comprising an endless strip carrying a plurality of flash lamps, a concave reflector movably supported adjacent said lamp support means and of suflicient depth to normally surround and enclose one of said lamps, actuating means engageable with the lamp carrier and the reflector to synchronize advancement of said lamp carrying strip on said lamp support means to move successive lamps first into and then, after being flashed, out of said reflector to ether with displacement of the reflector out of the path of movement of the lamps during each advancement thereof, and means supporting said lamp support means, said reflector and said actuating means in juxtaposition.

5. A multiple flash lamp device comprising lamp support means arranged to support a lamp carrier comprising a strip carrying a plurality of flash lamps, a concave reflector movably supported adjacent said lamp support means and of sufficient depth to normally surround and enclose one of said lamps, contacts of an electric ignition circuit for the lamps arranged to engage the contacts of a lamp enclosed by said reflector, actuating means engageable with the lamp carrier and the reflector to synchronize advancement of said lamp carrying strip on said lamp support means to move successive lamps first into and then, after being flashed, out of said reflector together with displacement of the reflector out of the path of movement of the lamps during each advancement thereof, and means supporting said lamp support means, said reflector, said contacts and said actuating means in juxtaposition.

and then, after I 6. A multiple flash lamp device comprising lam support means arranged to support a lamp carrier comprising a strip carrying a plurality of flash lamps, a concave reflector movably supported adjacent said lamp support means and of sufiicient depth to normally surround and enclose one of said lamps, a light filter disposed over and substantially closing the mouth of said reflector, actuating means engageable with the lamp carrier and the reflector to synchronous advancement of said lamp carrying strip on said 

